Ginger-Pear Jam

nutritional information

Makes 5 8-oz. jars

Commercial pectin helps thicken jams to give them a more spreadable consistency. The pectin here is optional, though the jam will be thinner without it. But a little liquid isn't a bad thing if you don't mind licking your fingers!

4 cups sugar

4 lb. ripe but firm pears, such as Bosc, peeled

¼ cup fresh lemon juice

2 tsp. grated fresh ginger

1 Tbs. pectin, optional

1. Grate pears using largest holes on hand grater. Combine grated pears with sugar, lemon juice, and ginger in large stainless steel pot.

2. Bring pear mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and cook 30 to 45 minutes, or until jam has thickened. Stir pectin into ¼ cup jam liquid, if desired, and add to jam. Cook 3 minutes more, or until jam is thick.

3. Meanwhile, sterilize jars and lids: Submerge jars in large pot filled halfway with simmering water, and lids in small pot of simmering water. Keep jars and lids in hot water until ready to use.

4. Remove jars one at a time from hot water, and fill with jam, leaving ¼-inch headspace. Seal with lids. Place canning rack or cake rack in bottom of large pot, and return sealed jars to pot, adding extra water to cover jars by 1 inch, if necessary. Bring water to a boil, and boil 10 minutes. Remove jars from water, and cool.

comments

If you don't have a kitchen scale stand on the scale with your container and then add fruit until the desired additional weight is acheived.

janice - 2013-09-19 22:50:05

When they say "lids" are they referring to both lids and rings?

Rose - 2011-10-24 11:45:46

I made this jam last year for Christmas gifts along with two other jams. This by far received the most feedback from recipients- people loved this jam. I combined Bosc and Bartlett pears. I am making it again this year!

Jennifer Stephens - 2009-12-19 12:14:21

I have the same question as Genevieve, except was wondering if Agave nectar could be substituted?

Paulomi - 2009-11-12 09:07:57

Four cups of sugar is way too much for me. Does anyone know if liquid stevia can be substituted for at least part of the sugar? Thanks. I love both pears and ginger and this does sound yummy.

Genevieve - 2009-11-10 19:29:38

Thanks for the pectin advice! I'm going to start on it now.

Anonymous - 2009-10-24 13:23:16

Eight large Bosc pears came out to 4 lbs in the grocery store for me. However, I found the jam a little too gingery and a little too lemony. Maybe I needed more pears! Still yummy though. And I used 2 heaping tablespoons of pectin to get the consistency I wanted.

JH - 2009-10-18 20:00:13

I've made this jam two years in a row and loved it. I found that it didn't set as well as I would have liked, so I added more pectin and recooked it for the three minutes until I got it to a consistency that I liked (using the freezer/wrinkle test).
Michelle, I would estimate between 15 and 20 depending on how big your pears are.

Mers - 2009-10-14 23:46:20

How many pears is 4 lbs? Estimate? I don't have a scale.

michelle - 2009-10-09 11:28:53

Try to find Pomona's Universal Pectin - it's a natural pectin that allows you to make low sugar jams and use other sweeteners. It works fine with honey, agave, maple syrup, etc. Too many recipes have WAY TOO MUCH sugar. With Pomona pectin you can use as little as 3/4 cup sugar to 4 cups of fruit.